Officer injured in North High melee in Worcester; students, parent arrested

WORCESTER 
A police officer's leg was broken in two places while he and another officer were trying to arrest a man involved in a large fight today at North High School, police said.

Police did not identify the officer, but said he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital; his injury will keep him out of work for weeks, they said.

The melee today came on the heels of a large fight Friday at the school that resulted in three arrests of juveniles.

Police said the Friday incident had officers from the Community Impact Division stationed in the area of Hamilton Street and Harrington Way today as school got out around 2 p.m.

Police said that as students were leaving for the day, a 15-year-old boy walked by officers and started to yell profanities at them near Hamilton and Stratfield Street. Police said he was causing a disturbance, and they spoke to him. The boy apologized, saying he was on the basketball team and didn't want to get into any trouble.

Police said that at that point, 40 to 50 teenagers gathered and surrounded the officers, who ordered them to stay back. The group refused, police said, and started a chant to free the teenager the officers were speaking to. The officers called for assistance, police said.

Several officers arrived and ordered the crowd back, police said. Police said one of the main aggressors, Emmanuel Natal, 18, of 194 Inglside Ave., pushed his way through the crowd, clenching his fists and yelling and swearing at officers. Police said the other main aggressor, Jasmine Hudson, 17, of 25 Chrome St., started to yell at police that she did not have to leave.

Police said that at one point Mr. Natal refused orders to leave and attacked an officer, punching the officer twice in the chest. He was tackled to the ground by other nearby officers, and police said he started to violently resist arrest. As Mr. Natal fought with two police officers, John Clough, 17, of 72 Fairmont Ave., allegedly jumped on an officer's back. Police said Mr. Clough violently resisted arrest, and fought with two police officers. One of the officers broke his leg in two places when they all fell to the ground, police said.

According to police, a 15-year-old boy also acted aggressive to a female officer. Two other officers approached him and were in the process of arresting him when Ms. Hudson approached and started punching one of them in the face, police said. At the same time a 16-year-old girl started to punch the same officer in the back of the head, police said. Ms. Hudson was subdued and arrested, police said.

Police said the mother of the 16-year-old girl, Elize Rivera, 37, of 41 Cutler St., got between police and her daughter and tried to separate them. The mother punched a female officer in the arm and was also arrested.

Police said Ms. Rivera and her 16-year-old daughter were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace. The 15-year-old boy was charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

Ms. Hudson, Mr. Natal, and Mr. Clough were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace. The 15-year-old boy who police said instigated the incident was not in the area when the crowd was eventually brought under control, police said.